Water-wheel



(No Modem J. EBERSOLE.

WATER WHEEL.

Patented Nov. 9, 1897. 1 13/.

I IN VE N T OR, 5 JOHN fBERSOLE, WM {Niamey WITNESSES UNITED STATES" PATENT Orrron.

JOHN EBERSOLE, OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,273, dated November 9, 1897.

Application filed May 11, 1896. Serial No. 591,170. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN EBERSOLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chambersburg, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Floating, Breast, and Current W'ater-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in floating, breast, and current water-wheels, which improvements consist in greater simplicity of construction of such wheels, in greater strength and durability, and a much greater freedom of the wheels and buckets from obstructions occasioned by brush or other matter floating in the current or in the water. These improvements also enable such wheels to be used either submerged in a current of water where there is little or no head or to be used under a heavy head of water and be run by the current and not retarded bythe still or back water. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of my improved water-wheel as obtained by looking down upon it from above when in its working position in the water. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout bothviews.

A represents the shaft,which passes through the hub C and drum E, to which the hub O is attached, and revolves in a step or other hearing at the bottom of the stream. The hub 0 answers as a bearing for arms B B, and to the outer ends of which arms buckets'D D are attached, the center line of the arms B B passing on a line across the buckets 1) D about one-fourth from their upper edge, causing them to float more easily.

The arms B B have their inner bearings on hub C and their outer bearings on outer side of drum E. On these arms B B are stops F F, fastened by set-screws on inner edge of outer bearing.

The stops F F form a collar by which the arms B B are kept in their bearings. By removing the set-screw on stop F the arms B B, with buckets D D attached, can be removed from wheel. By loosening the set screw on stop F the wheel can be changed to either a left or right hand wheel, as the case may require.

When buckets D D are in working position, the stops F F rest upon rubber bumpers H H, fastened to drum E, and when buckets D D are floating the stops F F stand perpendicular to the Wheel. (See Fig. 2.)

WVhen the buckets D D receive the force of the current, the stop F strikes a spring '11, which is fastened to the forebay above the wheel. The stops F F are thereby tipped over and turn the buckets D D, so that they quickly receive the current. The spring 0 is intended to be used only when the wheel is placed under a high head of water.

It will be observed that the arms B B, to which the buckets D D are firmly attached, revolve in their bearings only one-fourth of a revolution and then return to their original position.

This water-wheel as improved is intended to be placed in a forebay in the bottom of a stream, with a hoisting-gate T to stop and start the wheel.

I am aware that prior to my invention water-wheels have been made with floating buckets. I therefore do not claim the floating bucket itself; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a water-wheel, a rotatable drum provided with an upwardly-extending hub, a plurality of bearings upon the upper side of said drum near the periphery thereof, a plurality of shafts mounted in said bearings and in said hub,blades or buckets upon said shafts outside of said drum, stops upon said shafts, cushions upon said drum situated in the path of said stops, and a spring situated in the path of said stops.

2. In a water-wheel, a rotatable drum having an upwardly-extending hub, bearings upon the upper face of said drum and near the periphery thereof, shafts mounted in said bearings and in bearings in said hub and provided with blades or buckets, adjustable stops mounted upon said shafts inwardly of said bearings, and a spring situated in the path of said stops.

JOHN EBERSOLE.

Witnesses:

W. J. ZACHARIAS, H. F. NOBLE, A. KATHRINE BIETSCH. 

